Many electronic devices include a user interface that may require cleaning from time-to-time. For example, a simple cleaning of a display may improve visibility of its displayed content, and a simple cleaning of a keypad may improve the operation of the keys or the ability of a user to interact with the keys. A simple wipe of the user interface on a regular or periodic basis is very effective for improving the usability of the electronic device. For this reason, some users maintain disposable tissues or reusable clothes within proximity of electronic device to wipe the user interface on a regular basis.
Portable electronic devices are frequently transported from place-to-place, so it can be a nuisance to maintain tissues or clothes within proximity of portable electronic devices. Portable electronic devices include, but are not limited to, wireless communication devices, personal digital assistants, calculators, handheld gaming devices, audio players and recorders, video players and recorders, and the like. Cleaning tissues and/or clothes are not available everywhere a portable electronic device may travel, so the user of the portable electronic device would have the burden of carrying cleaning tissues and/or clothes along with the portable electronic device.
Cleaning surfaces have been integrated to with carrying cases of products in order to facilitate cleaning of the products. For example, sunglasses may be carried in a soft cloth, drawstring bag so that the sunglasses are protected and the bag may be used to clean the lenses of the sunglasses. As another example, a device pouch may have a soft lining to protect the device carried by the pouch.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, certain types of portable electronic devices have collapsible form factor in which each device may be opened or closed. For example, the portable electronic device may have a first housing 102 that is adjustable, e.g., rotates, relative to a second housing 104 to form open and closed positions. These types of closable electronic devices often have an internal user interface that is exposed in a device's open position 100, as represented by FIG. 1, and concealed in the device's closed position 200, as represented by FIG. 2. The internal user interface may include, but is not limited to, an ear piece 106, a display 108, a numeric keypad 110, other types of keys 112, a navigation mechanism 114, and a mouth piece 116. In the closed position 200, the internal user interface is only accessible by separating the first and second housings 102, 104 at a plane of contact 202 where the first and second housing meet. Thus, tissues, clothes and cleaning surfaces of carrying cases are only able to clean the outer surface of a portable electronic device when the device is in its closed position 200. The internal user interface may only be cleaned or otherwise wiped using existing items when the portable electronic device is in its open position 100.
Accordingly, there is a need for an accessory for a portable electronic device having a closable form factor, in which the accessory is capable of wiping an internal user interface of the portable electronic device while the device is closed. There is a particular need for an accessory that is a capable of wiping the internal user interface with minimal maintenance or effort required by the user of the portable electronic device.